a conversation
by crispycrumblycrust
Summary: Agents Hand and Hill talk.


**_a conversation_**

* * *

The door opened. A familiar face greeted her. She suspected she didn't have the time to visit someone, since all had changed into chaos and panic. Yet there she stood, coming in, with minimal defenses – not that she needed it, she could defend herself perfectly well – unlike herself in her present state.

She glanced at her from her lowered position.

"Why, hello Agent Hill." She rolled her eyes as she closed the door.

"Cut the formality please. It just...doesn't feel right."

She chuckled, but winced as the wounds played with her. She sometimes liked this informality – especially with women – but now she preferred professionalism. She felt at home in that.

"You look like shit." She closed her eyes and turned her head to the ceiling. No need for her to rub it in. But then again, she likely deserved it too. To have fallen for such a simple trap. She hated herself.

"You yourself could look quite better too."

"Well, you try to look normal with fifty people all wanting something from you, needing you, and nothing going as planned or expected..." She sighed, dragged the chair near the door to her bedside and plopped down with another, longer sigh.

She couldn't help but smile, though a bit sympathetic, still sarcastic, almost cynical. She knew what she meant. She herself had experienced many, similar days, though of course not so big and catastrophic. She only had one location that would always be her concern. She could only guess what kind of mess that traitorous organization had caused now, how people needed a safety, and someone to look up to.

At that moment, she felt glad, strangely so, and hating herself more for it that she wasn't in any position to be that person.

She watched her glance at her vitals, her eyebrows raised.

"You know, for someone being shot three times, you are quite relaxed now."

"Drugged with painkillers and sedatives do that to you, dear."

"They've done that?" The unspoken question hung there, _you _allowed that?!

"Well, I didn't exactly had a choice in that matter."

She chuckled and sat back on her chair, staring at her now. She glanced back, before resting her gaze over her shoulder.

"What's going on?" No need to prolong these frivolous talk. She had come her for a reason, both of them knew it.

"Ah, just this and that."

"If you're here for my advice-"

"No, none of that. I can handle it." They stared, a long moment, before she nodded. Even though she mostly could be found in the field, she had other qualitative too.

"What about the Hub?" She saw it as her Home. And her responsibility.

"Secured. I've seen it myself."

"Good." At least not everything went bat shit crazy and against them.

"And what about the ones stationed there?"

"Some dead, some had fled, some had remained there, some were captured." She felt pinches of hurt and betrayal. So many loyal members dead, or not so loyal had fled, and some she thought she had the loyalty of had spit on her.

"What about the other locations?"

She leaned forward, braided her fingers in front of her. "I won't lie to you, not good..."

"So...to think that this day would finally come, and that I would see it with my own eyes...S.H.I.E.L.D has fallen, definitely?"

"I'm afraid so." she grimaced as she tried to move. Still so immobile, and her veins full of painkillers, her limbs numbed. It made her feel so lightheaded and her body so useless.

"I've heard about Director Fury. The men stationed outside aren't exactly subtle about it."

"Well...you've heard wrong then."

"What? You mean to tell me my intelligence is wrong?"

"On this matter, yes." She paused, likely for dramatic effect.

"Director Fury is alive.""

She glanced at her, a bit puzzled, surprised, and thinking that she was playing a prank – a perfect target, someone wounded and immobile – or suspecting her condition to be so fragile that she deemed necessary to show some hesitation, proceeding very slowly, very carefully, as if she might break down and melt away at any moment.

"Then why hasn't he shown himself?"

She only shrugged. "You know him as good as I. That man is impossible to understand. He likely has good reasons though."

She then chuckled. She should had known this. After all, she had learned some things from Director Fury himself. And she had survived three shot wounds. A lot more would be needed to kill _him_.

"You have talked to him? What are his orders?"

"No, I haven;'t". She frowned.

She glanced at her vitals again, her gaze lingering there. The screens likely showed some higher numbers. "His position is unknown to everyone. He only gave enough signals that he was still alive."

She returned her stare to her. "Talking about that, I would like it if you keep this to yourself now. Only a select few are allowed to know the truth. Directior Fury's orders himself."

"Of course." She of everyone knew the importance of secrecy, for the better good. Some just couldn't handle it, no matter how good their intentions were.

"What is the next course then?"

"Well, for now, you should focus on getting better." She nodded. She didn't have another choice, caged here in this bed, completely useless to everyone.

She stood.

"Oh, I've almost forgotten. I've got promoted, the highest seat now." She glanced at her. She must be kidding now. But on hindsight, the only suitable candidate would be her. The other choice would be better in the long term – perhaps, some would think so, others not so – but they needed someone on the short terms.

She wasn't in any shape to be Director anyway, and there had been urgency in deciding a new Director. Not now she was recovering from the shot wounds – should be deadly, but nursing herself had delayed the deadly effects for a while, at least enough to contact HQ - and in heavy guards too,even if she found them too unnecessary.

She had lost her strength and usefulness, the moment the Clairvoyance had escaped. She hated herself for being so blind for another traitor. And being all helpless and very vulnerable for an attack.

Even so much that men needed to stand outside her room. She needed protection.

"Congratulations then."

"Save it for when you mean it. Entirely mean it though."

"Well, see you tomorrow then. I'll try to visit every day, and keep you up to date."

"Another one of Fury's orders?"

"No, not this one, wholly voluntarily."

"Of course." She didn't miss her smirk, and couldn't help but show one of hers. This time, the wounds didn't act up.

"Now, hurry up and return to someplace you are needed. I have need of some rest now."

"Okay."

With one more glance back at her she silently opened the door and closed it, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

A very interesting course of action had been taken. She couldn't wait until her body didn't feel like dead weight and pudding. She wished her body would heal itself faster.

So that she could be useful again.


End file.
